Pelargonium plant named &#39;Pactioscar&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Interspecific  Geranium  plant named ‘Pactioscar’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; bright scarlet-colored semi-double flowers held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Pelargonium×hortorum×Pelargonium peltatum

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘PACTIOSCAR’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Interspecific Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum×Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Pactioscar’.

The new Interspecific Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous Interspecific Geranium plants with numerous attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Interspecific Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2010 of an unnamed proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum×Pelargonium peltatum, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Interspecific Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany in June, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Interspecific Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since January, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Interspecific Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Interspecific Geranium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pactioscar’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pactioscar’ as a new and distinct Interspecific Geranium plant:

1. Upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.

2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.

3. Freely basal branching habit.

4. Dark green-colored leaves.

5. Early and freely flowering habit.

6. Bright scarlet-colored semi-double flowers held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Interspecific Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant habit as plants of the new Interspecific Geranium are more uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Interspecific Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium×hortorum×Pelargonium tongaenense ‘Cante Oran’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,686. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Interspecific Geranium differed from plants of ‘Cante Oran’ in the following characteristics:

1. Leaves of plants of the new Interspecific Geranium had a less distinct zonation pattern than leaves of plants of ‘Cante Oran’.

2. Plants of the new Interspecific Geranium were more freely flowering than plants of ‘Cante Oran’.

3. Plants of the new Interspecific Geranium had semi-double flowers whereas plants of ‘Cante Oran’ had single-type flowers.

4. Plants of the new Interspecific Geranium had longer peduncles than plants of ‘Cante Oran’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Interspecific Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Interspecific Geranium plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pactioscar’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Interspecific Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were nine months old when photograph and the detailed description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum×Pelargonium peltatum     ‘Pactioscar’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly mounding plant             habit; inverted triangle; densely foliated; vigorous growth             habit; rapid growth rate; freely basal branching habit with             about 30 lateral branches developing per plant; pinching is             not required.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 60 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Internode length: About 1 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             Close to 146B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Mostly opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Rounded; roughly reniform.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cordate, open.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;             velvety.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147B; venation, close to 147B. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 144A. Zonation pattern: Intensity: Medium.             Location: About 5 mm from margin. Width: About 1.5 cm.             Color: Close to 147A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Semi-double flowers             arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical             leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on             strong peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly; freely             flowering habit; about 21 flowers per umbel with about 55             umbels developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about 70 days after planting; in the garden in             Germany, flowering begins in April and continues until frost             in the autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the             plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 10 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Shell-shaped. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five arranged in a single             whorl; petals imbricate. Length: About 2.2 cm to 2.3 cm.             Width: About 1.6 cm to 2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 40A; towards the base,             close to 155D; venation, close to 40A; color does not change             with development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 40C; towards the base, close to 155D;             venation, close to 40C.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About one to three arranged             at the center of the flower. Length: About 1 cm. Width:             About 5 mm. Shape: Irregular in shape. Apex: Acute to             rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 40A;             towards the base, close to 155D; venation, close to 40A;             color does not change with development. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 40C; towards the base,             close to 155D; venation, close to 40C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1 cm to 1.1 cm. Width: About 2 mm to             3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A; towards the base, close             to 166A.         -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly upright.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 3.5 cm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.             Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Close to 144A and 166A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About seven. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:             Tubular. Anther color: Close to 61A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 167A. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma             shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 58A. Style             length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 58B. Ovary color:             Close to 139D. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development             have not been observed on plants of the new Interspecific             Geranium. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Interspecific Geranium     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Interspecific Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Interspecific Geranium have     been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Interspecific Geranium plant named ‘Pactioscar’ as illustrated and described. 